1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cleaning compositions and methods for use on hard surfaces (i.e. glass). The invention also relates to cleaning compositions for use with cleaning substrates, cleaning heads, cleaning pads, cleaning sponges and related systems for cleaning hard surfaces. The composition also relates to natural cleaning compositions having a limited number of ingredients and having good cleaning properties and low residue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cleaning formulations have progressed and created a large chemical industry devoted to developing new synthetic surfactants and solvents to achieve ever improving cleaning compositions for the consumer. Recently, consumers have shown increasing interest in natural and sustainable products. Obstacles in selling such products include the expense to the consumer, since many conventional cleaners typically cost half as much as natural products or products based on sustainable materials. Another inconvenience to consumers of such products includes the limited distribution of natural products, which are often found only in speciality stores. Finally, there remains a significant gap in the performance of natural products, relative to that of highly developed formulations based on synthetic surfactants and solvents which are produced from petrochemical feedstocks. Companies marketing natural or sustainable consumer products have had difficulty in formulating cleaners that deliver acceptable consumer performance, while utilizing only a limited number of natural and/or sustainably produced components.
Typical cleaning formulations require multiple surfactants, solvents, and builder combinations to achieve adequate consumer performance. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,069 to Deguchi et al. discloses alkyl glycoside detergent systems with anionic, amphoteric and nonionic surfactant ingredients. U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,950 to Garti et al. discloses nano-sized concentrates with examples using Tween® surfactants. U.S. Pat. No. 6,831,050 to Murch et al. discloses toxicologically acceptable cleaners containing oleic acid and citric acid. U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,969 to Moster et al. discloses natural cleaners containing anionic surfactants. U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,326 to Maile et al. discloses glass cleaners with ethanol, glycol ethers, and anionic surfactants.
Prior art compositions do not combine effective cleaning with a minimum number of ingredients, especially with natural ingredients. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning composition that overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings associated with prior art cleaning compositions.